Harry Potter and the Legacy of Sirius Black
by meeph
Summary: Yay! Chapter 12 is up, so read, enjoy, and if you've still got time I wouldn't mind a nice review!
1. Default Chapter

_I don't own Harry Potter, but that would be cool if I did! I'm allowed to dream you know!_

Harry potter had been at the Dursley's for almost three weeks now. They had effectively managed to ignore him the whole time, but he wasn't complaining, that's the way Harry preferred it anyway, when the Dursley's forgot he existed.

He rolled over in his bed to look at the clock on his bedside table, it read 3:30 am. This was the fourth night in a row he had not slept for fear of having nightmares about Sirius, his Godfather. Harry would wake up in the middle of the night drenched in a cold sweat, the image of a black veil still fluttering faintly in his mind.

Every time he thought of Sirius, a slight weight would fall in the pit of his stomach and that terrible feeling of guilt would envelope him. Harry rolled over again to stare at the ceiling, shadows dancing along it in the weak light from the street lamp outside his window.

He cast his eyes around his room, looking for something to take his thoughts off his Godfather, they landed on Hedwig's empty cage. She had been gone for nearly a week. Harry was hoping that she would be carrying letters from Ron and Hermione when she returned. He had written them both two weeks ago and had received no reply.

Harry only assumed that they were staying at number twelve Grimmauld Place, the head quarters of the Order of the Phoenix.

He felt small twinge of jealousy at having been out of the loop for so long again this summer. But unlike the previous summer, Harry was still getting daily copies of _The Daily Prophet_, and was reading it thoroughly cover to cover, like Hermione had suggested at the start of the previous school year.

The articles reported in the _Prophet_ were now full of self defense guides and similar ways to magic proof your home from attack. He recalled how at the beginning of the summer, the paper was full of many people who'd stated they had had seen Lord Voldermort walking down their street in the middle of the night. It seems that the _Daily Prophet _had received so many of these eyewitness accounts that they had just stopped publishing them.

Harry was still dwelling on _Prophet_ when Hedwig soared in through his open window, and to Harry's jubilation, four fat envelopes clenched tightly in her beak. He hopped off his bed and she fluttered over dropping the letters in his hand and flew over to her cage.

He opened the first piece of parchment and saw Hermione's neat handwriting.

_Harry,_

_I've just been in touch with Ron, he says that they're coming to get you at the end of this week. They're all staying in London at Grimmauld Place, for the summer. Mum and Dad are letting me leave tomorrow night, so undoubtedly I'll get to see you when you arrive._

_Anyway, I'm sure Ron will tell you all of the details in his letter, he told me he was going to write you soon. Oh and don't worry about your Birthday present, I've got it, I'll give it to you when I see you in London._

_Love,_

_Hermione_

Harry grinned at the letter and set it on his bedside table, grabbing the second one that lay on his bed at the same time. It was from Ron.

_Hey Harry,_

_Mum says we can come and get you on Saturday, sometime around3:00. Don't worry about the Muggles, tell them we've got a car this time and that Dad won't blow up their fire place again!_

_Remember that, 3:00 on Saturday! Oh and Hermione will be here too, I just got her letter yesterday. _

_See you on Saturday Harry!_

_Ron_

Only two more days and he'd be Dursley free! Harry was tingling with more happiness than he had felt in months. He tore open the other letter. It was from Hagrid, wishing him a Happy Birthday. Inside the envelope there was another paper, it was a picture, and Harry recognized it as the picture of the original Order of the Phoenix that Moody ahd showed him last year. At the front there was Sirius standing and waving handsomely up at him.

Harry looked away from the photo and tried to concentrate on the fact he was leaving the Dursley's soon. But the guilt stormed over him as he remembered he was going to Sirius's house.

_Well, my first HP fic, so please review and I hoped you enjoyed it! Ch.2 will be up sometime soon._


	2. A Stranger and a Ghost

_A quick reminder! I don't own Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does! duh_

Harry marched down the stairs that morning, Ron's letter in hand, determined to show Uncle Vernon that he would be leaving soon. Not that that would pose a problem in Vernon or Petunia Dursley's minds. They both considered it a treat when Harry left them early in the summer.

He walked into the kitchen to find Uncle Vernon with his purple face hidden behind the morning newspaper, a plate of eggs and kippers in front of him. He grimaced as Harry sat down at the table and pulled a plate of bacon towards him. Uncle Vernon put the newspaper down, glaring again at Harry before turning to Aunt Petunia.

"Where's Dudley?" He asked.

"I told you last night, he was staying at Piers Polkiss' for the night and their going on that camping trip today with Pier's father." Aunt Petunia replied tersely.

Camping trip, right, Harry thought sarcastically to himself, still waiting for a good opening to tell Uncle Vernon about Ron's letter. He seized his chance before Uncle Vernon could return to his newspaper.

"I got a letter last night from my friend Ron Weasley." Uncle Vernon's piggy little eyes appeared over the top edge of the newspaper. "He wants to know if I can go and stay with them for the rest of the summer." Uncle Vernon's eyes contracted menacingly and Harry knew that he was putting two and two together. The last time Uncle Vernon had met the Weasleys, Mr. Weasley had blown up his fire place and George had given Dudley a magically enhanced toffee, causing his tongue to swell to the size of a small dog.

"Weasley?" He said questioningly, but Harry still detected the threatening undertone.

"Yeah." He said cautiously.

"When?" Uncle Vernon said, and Harry could hardly believe that he could possible be able to leave without a fight.

"Tomorrow at 3:00." Uncle Vernon's face tightened at this.

"And how will they be coming this time?"

"By car." Harry said quickly before his uncle could start yelling about the fireplace. "Ron said it in his letter, they're coming by car this time." He added at the still disbelieving look on his uncle's face.

"Very well." Uncle Vernon said. "So long as they know that they have to keep you for the rest of the summer, they can't bring you back before your holiday is over."

"No problem." Harry replied bitterly, getting up from the table and leaving the kitchen.

He climbed the stairs two at a time, intending to send a return letter to Ron to tell him he could go. When he reached his room there was a tawny owl on his bed, a copy of the _Daily Prophet _lay on his bed at its feet. Harry rummaged in his money bag and paid the owl, which took flight through his open window. He glanced at the front page reading the headline "_Famed Ex-Auror, Attica Arias, Returns to Great Britain"_ . Harry tossed the paper on his desk while grabbing some parchment for his letter to Ron.

He quickly scribbled his note which was nothing more than

_Sounds great, see you tomorrow at 3:00._

He poked Hedwig awake.

"Take this to Ron at Grimmauld Place, you can hang around there, I'll see you tomorrow." She hooted and nipped his finger affectionately before soaring out the window into the azure morning sky.

Harry was left quite alone in his bedroom. Below him he could hear Aunt Petunia shuffling around the kitchen, no doubt tucking dishes away in the dish washer, and Harry wondered how they could be so oblivious, all the Muggles for that matter. There was a war going on all around them, and none had a clue about it and he Harry, was at the very center of it. He sighed, turning to look at the _Daily Prophet_ he had tossed unceremoniously on his desk.

Below the headline of "_Famed Ex-Auror…"_ There was a picture of Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, who looked as if he were giving a speech. That's different, Harry thought. Normally when the front page story was about a person they displayed a picture of that particular person, not the Minister of Magic. He frowned and began to read the article.

_Yesterday in a surprise move by the Minister of Magic, Famed Ex-Auror, Attica Arias, was re-commissioned as an Auror here in Great Britain. _

_Arias, who retired thirteen years ago and has recently been living in the United States, returned to London yesterday on the Minister's request. Arias along with Alastor Moody, is responsible for some of the greatest Auror work ever seen by the Ministry of Magic and its numerous officials._

_Arias retired after being accused of relations with Sirius Black, the madman responsible for the murder of thirteen people. She denied all accusations and resigned her position as Auror. "I would rather not be party to an institution that accuses its loyal own of such travesties." Arias resigned where she then moved to the States and has lived in quiet retirement ever since._

_Arias' re-commission as an Auror wasn't the only surprise the Ministry gave the Wizarding Community yesterday. Attica Arias has also been posted as new professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizadry, which was the subject of quite a few raised eyebrows. Needless to say there will be many watching this returned Auror and new professor closely over the next few months._

_Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent._

Wow, Harry thought, that was the least scathing article he had ever read by Rita Skeeter. She must be keeping her promise to Hermione, he smiled at that. He reread the article again and thought this woman, Attica Arias must be their new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor.

"_accused of relations with Sirius Black…_"

"Wonder what that's supposed to mean." Harry mumbled to himself.

Harry spent the rest of the day in his room, only bothering to go downstairs for food. By the time the sun had fallen, he'd managed to pack his trunk and check his room twice for overlooked school books and quills.

He fell asleep with the book, _"Flying With the Cannons", _ open on his chest. It wasn't long before he was tossing and turning, plagued by another dream of Sirius.

He was in the stone chamber, veiled arch was in the center, Sirius was dueling with Bellatrix, they were slowly moving towards the stone dias. Harry wanted to scream, to run over and help Sirius, warn him that the arch was dangerous, that it would kill him. But Harry couldn't move, he could speak.

Sirius fell through the archway then and Harry screamed as the scene played over and over again in his mind. Sirius died again, again, again, and again. Harry screamed, his scar was fit to burst then all of a sudden he hit the floor. He lay there, next to his bed, in his room away from the arch and the veil, away from Sirius.

He tried to slow his breathing as the pain in his scar slowly subsided. That had been the worst nightmare he'd had of Sirius. He grabbed the picture off his bedside table of the original Order. Sirius stared up at him beaming, standing next Lily and James. They were together again, Sirius and James, best friends, Harry thought.

Harry put his hand on the floor to get up, as he did so his hand fell on a piece of parchment that was laying half under his bed. He picked it up, it was addressed to him, Harry vaguely recalled Hedwig having delivered four letters the previous night. He must have forgotten about this one, he had been too excited about seeing Ron and Hermione. He opened the parchment, there was a muddy paw print on it. Harry gasped, it couldn't be! It was possible, he was dead, Sirius was dead.

There was a tiny flicker of hope in Harry's chest that he hadn't felt since Sirius was alive.


	3. Return to Grimmuald Place

_Thanks to everyone who has reviewed this story so far and here's the next chapter! Oh and I think we've established the fact that I don't won Harry Potter!_

Harry spent the majority of Saturday morning in a kind of excited trance. Time seemed to move so slowly that he was afraid the Weasleys would never show up. He was so disoriented that he began to think they were late, when looking at the clock on his bedside table, found that it was only 10:30. The Weasleys weren't due for another four and a half hours.

The knowledge that Sirius might still be alive was eating at Harry's insides. His anxiety to tell someone, Ron or Hermione, was so overwhelming that he considered marching downstairs to tell Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia just for the sake of getting it out.

Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia on the other hand were just as anxious as Harry was about the arrival of the Weasleys. Aunt Petunia had gone on a wild cleaning spree that morning, even cleaning Harry's room while she was at it. Uncle Vernon though had sat in the living room, pretending to read yesterday's paper (the current one lay forgotten in the driveway outside). Neither of them would ever forget what happened the last time the Weasleys had shown up.

After a late lunch of turkey sandwiches, the Dursleys retired to the living room where Harry could hear the sound of the television in the background and the nervous whispering of Aunt Petunia. He sighed and went upstairs to his room. He was halfway through checking his room for forgotten items when the doorbell rang causing him to jump. They were finally here.

Harry locked up his trunk and began to drag it downstairs, when he reached the landing he was confronted by an amusing scene. His aunt and uncle were standing on the left of the hall while Mr. Weasley, Ron, Hermione, and Reamus Lupin, stood on the other side. An awkward silence gripped the hall and Harry could have laughed. Upon seeing him at the foot of the stairs, Mr. Weasley's face lit up and he smiled.

"Hello Harry!" He said, eager to break the quiet. He walked over to shake Harry's hand. "How have you been?"

"Good." Harry lied, trying to catch Ron or Hermione's eye.

"Well I suppose we'll all be off then." Mr. Weasley said tentatively with a glance at the Dursley's. They were almost out the door when to Harry's amazement…

"Have a good term."

It had been Uncle Vernon and Harry's jaw dropped at the unprovoked goodbye. Then he realized that Uncle Vernon probably didn't want any trouble from Mr. Weasley like there had been last time.

"Bye," Harry said walking out the door.

There was an old green car sitting in the Dursley's driveway, it was dotted with little rust spots all over it and Harry couldn't help but wonder where the car had come from. As if reading his mind Hermione leaned over and whispered in his ear.

"We think Mundungus stole it." She sounded disapproving, but Ron laughed as he helped Harry load his Hogwart's trunk into the trunk of the decrepit old car.

The three of them crammed into the back seat while Mr. Weasley and Lupin sat in the front. Lupin turned around in his seat the better to talk to Harry.

"How has your summer been?" Harry thought his voice sounded hoarse and wondered if there had been a full moon recently.

"It's been OK, I guess." He answered and Lupin only stared placidly back at him as if expecting more.

"Are you alright?" Lupin asked and Harry was bewildered, of course he wasn't alright, but did Lupin really expect him to pour out all of the emotions he was feeling, right here in the car!

"I'm fine." Harry lied quietly.

He wished they would get to London sooner, he had to tell Ron and Hermione about the phantom letter. Harry stared out the window. That letter had to be from Sirius, who else would have sent it? Who else would have known what a muddy paw print might mean to Harry?

"Harry what's up?" Ron whispered in his ear. Harry noticed that Hermione was watching him too. Harry glancedto the front to see if Lupin or Mr. Weasley were listening, but they were involved in a conversation about thecar's muggle radio.

"The other night," he started, "I got a bunch of letters. One each from you guys, one from Hagrid, and ..." His voice trailed off and he found that now he was on the verge of telling them, maybe he didn't want to?

"What Harry?" Hermione asked quietly.

"I got a letter from Sirius." Ron stared openmouthed and Hermione gasped rather audibly, but Lupin or Mr.Weasly didn't notice.

"How are you sure?" Hermione asked as the car turned to go down the street where Grimwauld place was situated.

"I'll tell you when we get inside."

They helped him move his trunk inside where Harry noticed that the entrance was a lot different from the last time he had seen it. Mrs. Weasley had come into the hall to greet them and she was speaking loudly, Harry thought this was stupid because she would surely wake up the creepy portrait of Mrs. Black. When Harry turned to the wall to see if the curtain was drawn over the portrait, it was gone. He was staring at a blank expanse of yellowing wall paper.

Mrs. Weasley had moved over to hug Harry.

"Harry dear how are you? Its so good to see you, have you been eating well at your Aunt and Uncle's? You look a little bit peaky." She pushed his hair off his forehead to feel his temperature, Harry could see Ron stifling a laugh out of the corner of his eye.

"Mum its not like he was thrown in a cage or anything!" Ron said with a laugh.

"Well, you can't be too sure with those people." Mrs. Weasley muttered under her breath, making Ron laugh again.

"What happened to the portrait of Mrs. Black?" Harry asked although not too concerned, the picture had been very annoying, and he was quite satisfied to see it gone.

"Our guest got rid of it. She did it in such a jiffy, I felt like a fool for not having done it myself." She said with a small laugh.

"Guest?" Harry asked. Since when did the Order invite guests to their secret headquarters. Kind of silly, thought Harry.

"Oh yes, Miss Arias has been staying with us for the past few days."

"Arias?" Harry asked. "Wasn't she in the _Daily Prohpet_ the other day?"

"Yes, I was." A voice answered him from the doorway to the cavern-like kitchen. Attica Arias moved into the light of the entrance hall. "It seems that the _Prophet_ is beginning to run out of things to report and has moved onto praising people it had otherwise previously defaced."

Attica Arias wasn't very tall, she was level with Harry, but she held herself with a sense of purpose and power that Harry had only seen in one other person and that was Albus Dumbledore. She had very light blonde hair, he was sure it was very long, but like Professor McGonagall it was pulled back into a bun, but it wasn't nearly as tight a bun as Harry's transfiguration teacher's was. Her eyes were a slightly luminescent green, and unusually bright. She had the power to hold a person's gaze like Dumbledore could.

"Harry," Lupin said, pulling Harry's attention away from the woman in front of him. "This is Attica Arias. She's come back from the states to join the Order. She'll beat Hogwarts this year as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher."

She held out her hand and Harry shook it.

"Er, its nice to meet you." He said awkwardly.

"The pleasure is mine Mr. Potter." She said holding his eyes with her gaze, and she smiled.


	4. Desperation and Longing

_Thank you if you have reviewed so far. ( I worship you who review!) And need I say it? Well for those newbs who haven't figured it out yet, I don't own Harry Potter!_

"Well," Mrs. Weasley said, giving Harry the chance to tear his gaze away from Attica who was still watching him. "I should probably get some dinner going. Aren't we expecting Minerva tonight?" She directed the question towards her husband.

"Yes," Answered Mr. Weasley. "She sent word last evening that she'd be stopping by tonight."

"Wonderful. You three," She said, turning to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Make sure you wash up before dinner. Oh and you'll be staying in the room you did last summer Harry dear."

The three of them turned to go upstairs, Harry dragging his trunk along behind him, it thudded loudly on each step. They reached the landing his room was situated on and went in. After making sure no one was on the stairs, he turned to Ron and Hermione, pulling the parchment with the paw print out of his jeans pocket.

"Here," He said handing it to Hermione who had taken a seat on his bed. "What do you make of it?" Ron was staring at it over Hermione's shoulder, his mouth was hanging open again.

"Harry," Hermione began but hesitated when she saw the desperate look on his face. "Do you have any clue where this came from?"

He stared at Hermione thinking that he had no idea where Hedwig had gotten this particular letter. Someone had to have given it to her directly, otherwise it would have been sent to him by another owl.

"No." He finally answered. "Hedwig came back the other night, I don't know where she got it." He felt a small bubble of despair at not knowing the origins of the paw printed letter. He had been so sure it was from Sirius.

Ron was still staring absorbedly at the letter as if trying to solve a rather difficult jigsaw puzzle. Hermione though was watching Harry with a look of pity in her eyes.

"Didn't Sirius send you a letter like this once, just a muddy print?" Ron asked, suddenly looking up from the parchment.

"Yeah." Harry said. "It was during the Triwizard tournament in fourth year."

Just then someone banged on the door making them all jump. Harry cracked the door and came face to face with Ginny Weasley.

"You showed up and no one told me?" She said with a small mischievous smile, her resemblance to Fred and George being enhanced.

"I had to take my trunk up here." Harry answered, not quite sure why he wasn't going to tell Ginny about the letter.

"Well anyway, Mum told me to tell you that dinner is ready and Professor McGonagall is here too." Then she closed the door and left.

Twenty minutes later found them all packed into the cavernous kitchen of Grimmauld place. Professor McGonagall wasn't the only one to show up for dinner, they were soon joined by Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt.

Dinner turned out to be a noisy affair, everyone enjoying themselves. Harry was finding it hard to get involved in any conversation, his mind was still on Sirius's supposed letter which was now hidden inside a book in his trunk upstairs. Harry found that he wasn't the only one who didn't have any interest in the happy conversations around the table. Attica Arias was staring fixedly at the fire, a contemplative look on her face. She turned and her gaze met Harry's, she smiled and then immediately engaged Professor McGonagall in talk.

It was at that moment that Harry remembered something of the _Daily Prophet_ article about Arias. "_Rumored to have relations with Sirius Black…"_ Could she really have known his Godfather? Harry watched her chat politely with McGonagall, a idea slowly forming in his mind.


	5. Dead Memories

_**Hello all, don't you like the bold italic letters better than the plain italic? Well I do, but that has nothing to do with the story, I'm just rambling! (What's new?)**_

**_Now everybody come on, say it with me now… "I don't own Harry Potter." There you go, I think with some therapy we can all come to realize that truth!_**

_**Anywho, enough nonsense! Here's chapter five, enjoy!**_

Harry was just going to ask her, after all he had a right to know about Sirius's past, whatever his connection was to Attica. It upset him that he actually knew very little of his Godfather's past, of course he knew that Sirius had gone to Hogwarts with his father, that he ran away from his home and eventually was sent to Azkaban (the wizard prison) for murders he never committed. But Harry didn't really know the details and it made him sick to think that his time with Sirius had been cut too short.

Attica retired from dinner early and Harry was afraid he might miss his chance to speak with her if he didn't get up soon. Five minutes after Attica had left, he excused himself from the table on the pretense of going to bed early.

The others wished him a goodnight as he walked through the kitchen door and into the foyer. He began climbing the stairs, trying to figure out which room belonged to Attica when he heard the door he had just passed open behind him. He turned around and saw Attica with her head poking around the side of the door.

"I thought I heard someone on the stairs." She said matter-of-factly. "You're heading to bed awfully early Mr. Potter. Is something wrong?" She added when he hesitatingly approached her door. He didn't know where to start. It was hard enough as it was to talk about Sirius, but he wasn't quite sure how well she had known him and he didn't want to upset anyone.

Feeling quite stupid and wishing he had stayed at the table or just gone up to his room like he'd said he was going to, he resolved to ask her.

"Professor… can I call you 'professor' I mean I know term hasn't started yet."

"It doesn't matter to me." She said with a small smile.

"Well, I was wanting to ask you something and if you don't care to answer that's fine, I was wondering if you knew my Godfather, Sirius Black." He said it kind of fast in his haste to ask. A shadow fell across Attica's face and she began to fiddle with a charm on the end of the necklace she was wearing.

"Yes, you could say I knew him." She answered flatly. "He was a – friend. We knew each other quite well actually." She moved her hand from her necklace and Harry could see that it wasn't a charm she had been holding but a ring, a thin gold band, hanging from a golden chain. She looked curiously at him and Harry was quite unnerved by her gaze, but his thirst for knowledge of Sirius kept him rooted to the spot.

"You know, Dumbledore told me you might ask me something like this. I must say, his death came as quite a shock to me, I had always thought that in his own way Sirius Black was invincible." She laughed and Harry was able to detect the sorrow in its melodious tones. "You miss him don't you." She stated more than asked and Harry was compelled to nod his head in answer. "He was a good man, too stubborn for his own good though, but then again, he was always hanging around with your father, James. Now there was a stubborn man if I ever knew one!"

Her eyes had never left his and Harry was startled to see the emotion behind them. She had known Sirius, really known him. He could see it in her eyes and his death had been devastating for her.

"Sirius Black and James Potter; what a pair of trouble makers. They both came to Hogwarts during my sixth year, I spent half that year chasing them around the common room. I was a prefect." She added at the confused look on Harry's face.

Harry was surprised at her readiness to talk about Sirius. Little did Harry know that Attica Arias, like Harry, still did not believe Sirius Black to be dead. Harry worked up his courage, he needed to know something else.

"Professor, in that article about you in the paper, it had said you had had relations with Sirius. Wh-what exactly did that mean." She sighed and finally looked away from him, her hand moving back up to fiddle with the ring around her neck again.

"We were- engaged to be married, our wedding was the day he was arrested and sent to Azkaban." Her voice faltered and Harry could feel his jaw drop. Sirius had been engaged to Attica? He was surprised when he looked at her again, there was a single tear running down her cheek.

I'm sorry Professor, I didn't mean to upset you." Harry said hastily. "I'm going to go upstairs now. Good night Professor."

"Night." She said quietly, still clutching at her necklace.


	6. Owls and Dementors

_**Well, I hope everyone enjoyed chapter five. I think this one is going to be just a little bit longer for those of you who think my chapters are too short. Oh and before I forget, I would like to dedicate this chapter to my good friend Midnight'sGone because she positively loves Professor McGonagall who is in this chapter. (I had to say that, she would have hurt me if I didn't!)**_

_**Look at this you guys have got me monologing! Here's chapter six! Enjoy!**_

_**(you'd have to be stupid to think that I own Harry Potter!)**_

The next morning Harry woke up early breathing hard, he had just experienced another nightmare about Sirius. Sitting up in bed he drew his knees up to his chest and leaned back against the head board, the images of the dream slowly fading from his mind. He looked over at Ron who was snoring loudlyin the bed across the room. Harry would have given anything at that moment to be sleeping as soundly as Ron was, but now that he was awake his mind was whirling with thoughts of all that he had learned since his return to Grimmauld Place.

Sirius had been engaged, and to Attica Arias! How was it that everyone had failed to mention that detail to him? Harry was feeling that sense of helpless frustration that had plagued him last summer. He was angry at the fact that no one seemed to deem it necessary that he know these things about his Godfather, the closest thing to a real father he'd ever had.

There was a bang on the door jerking him out of his reverie. Ron gave a loud grunt and pulled his pillow over his head. Harry got up and upon opening the door, Hermione bounded in grinning from ear to ear.

"What are you so happy about?" Harry asked, still feeling upset.

"OWLs." She simply stated.

"I don't see any owls, Hermione." Ron said stupidly having poked his head out from under his pillow, his voice was still fuzzy with sleep.

Not owls Ron, OWLs! Our exams from this past school year!" Harry was expecting her to finish the sentence with 'duh!' but she kept on talking without a moments hesitation. "I was talking to professor McGonagall downstairs in the kitchen, she brought our results with her last night." Hermione was so excited that Harry was afraid she might hurt herself.

"So what did you get?" He asked, afraid she would burst.

"I don't know yet." She answered anxiously.

"Then why are you dancing in our room like you're being attacked by pixies or something?" Hermione glared at Ron not unlike their transfiguration teacher.

"For your information Ronald, Professor McGonagall wouldn't give me my results until you two were downstairs to receive yours also." Her tone was cold. Ron looked slightly put out, but Harry knew that you shouldn't get in the way of Hermione Granger when it came to exam results.

Ron grumbled about being up at the crack of dawn while he disentangled himself from the bed covers where he then proceeded to stretch causing Hermione to dance nervously from toe to toe. Finally Ron having stretched for an extended amount of time that Hermione pointed out scathingly, they headed down to the kitchen. The three of them were walking slowly, trying to be quiet on the stairs for some people, 'decent people' as Ron put it, were still asleep.

Minerva McGonagall, their transfiguration teacher, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts and head of Gryffindor House, was sitting at the end of the table talking idly to Mrs. Weasley who was bustling around the kitchen preparing to make breakfast. Hermione practically ran over to seat herself across the table from professor McGonagall, followed much more slowly by Harry and Ron.

"Its nice to see you all up at a decent hour." Said Mrs. Weasley by way of morning greeting.

"Nothin' decent about it." Mumbled Ron under his breath causing Hermione to clear her throat loudly.

"Well," Began Professor McGonagall. "Now that all three of you are up, I can give you the results of your OWL examinations. When you have carefully reviewed them we can then began talking about the career which you picked last school year. We'll also discuss which NEWT classes you'll begin taking this year." She said this last sentence rather ominously and Harry felt a heavy weight drop in his stomach. What if he didn't get any OWLs? What if he couldn't be an auror?

Professor McGonagall then handed them a tan colored envelope each. Harry stared at his, rather reluctant to open it. He looked up at Professor McGonagall and she nodded reassuringly. Feeling he should go ahead and get it over with, he tore open the envelope and unfolded the parchment inside.

_Ordinary Wizarding Level: Results for Mr. Harry Potter_

_Astronomy : Acceptable_

_Care of Magical Creatures : Outstanding (OWL)_

_Charms : Outstanding (OWL)_

_Defense Against the Dark Arts : Outstanding (OWL)_

_Divinination: Poor_

_Herbology : Acceptable_

_History of Magic : Poor_

_Potions : Outstanding (OWL)_

_Transfiguration : Outstanding (OWL)_

Harry gasped, he had received five OWLs, and he'd received an OWL in Potions, meaning he had all the required classes to become an auror. He looked upand saw Professor McGonagall smiling at him and Harry felt a little bubble of happiness swell in his chest.

"What did you get Harry?" Hermione asked in his ear and he jumped, he hadn't seen her get up from the table. Feeling quite proud of himself he handed her his exam results for her perusal. "Wow Harry, you managed an OWL in Potions? That's wonderful!" Hermione looked impressed and Harry grinned for the first time in the past few weeks.

"Do I need to look at your results Hermione or would it be safe to guess you got all OWLs?" Ron asked sarcastically, but his sarcasm was lost on Hermione.

"I received OWLs in all my classes!" She squeaked excitedly as she turned to Ron who then proceeded to roll his eyes. "How many did you get Ron?" She asked leaning over his shoulder to view his parchment.

"I got five OWLs." He said still squinting at the paper. "I managed an acceptable in potions. HA! A lot better than I expected. I bet Snape's eating his socks or something, we all got good grades on his exam!" He said happily.

Mrs. Weasley had bustled over to peer over Ron's shoulder while he was talking. Upon looking at Ron's results she screamed loudly and very nearly strangled Ron with a rib breaking hug.

"Five OWLs! I always knew you'd get more than the twins. Oh Ron this is wonderful. Five OWLs!." She moved back to the stove and began frying sausages, in a matter of minutes she had laid out a feast of a breakfast. They were all eating happily when the doorbell rang. Mrs. Weasley looked at Professor McGonagall in alarm.

"You haven't been expecting anyone have you Molly?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"No." She answered simple, pulling her wand from her apron. Her and Professor McGonagall left the kitchen and the door swung shut behind them.

"Who do you think it is?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione.

"I don't know, there haven't been too many memebers of theOrdercome by this summer like they all did last year." Answered Ron. "Maybe we could listen." He moved towards the door and Harry and Hermione followed without hesitation.

The three of them put their ears to the door. It was hard to distinguish the different voices coming from the hall as they were all muffled. Apparently they were whispering too.

"Who told you Mundungus?" That was Professor McGonagall.

"I told you, a very reliable source." And there was the slurred tones of Mundungus. Harry could also make outsmall impatient noises from Mrs. Weasley. She didn't like Mundungus too much. Then there was another voice, Harry thought it might have been Attica's.

"What's all the noise?" She asked. They could hear her moving down the stairs.

"Good mornin' Miss. Arias." Mundungus said loudly and Mrs. Weasley shushed him. She probably thought that Harry, Ron and Hermione were listening. Well, she's right, Harry thought to himself with a smile.

"Mundungus was just telling ussomething that apparently came from a 'reliable' source." Mrs. Weasley said, with some mockery in her voice.

"Go on Mundungus." Professor McGonagall said after the hall had fallen silent.

"Well, its like I said before, I was just informed by a reliable source that Lucius Malfoy and several other Death Eaters have just escaped from Azkaban abou' and hour ago. I thought it would be best that you knew abou' it before finding out in the _Daily Prophet _or something. Would you like me to tell Dumbledore?"

"No Mundungus. I'll tell him." Professor McGonagall said.

"What of the guards?" Attica asked Mundungus.

"Wha- Oh the Dementors, they didn't seem to be too put out abou' it. Not like it was when Sirius got out ya know? If I had to guess I'd say someone had told them to let those Death Eaters out. Things are changin' now." He finished.

"Indeed." Attica said grimly.

There was a long silence in the hall and Harry could hear someone shuffling their feet. After another minutes silence Professor McGonagall finally spoke up.

"I must go and inform Albus."

"Most likely he already knows." Attica said. "After all he'd predicted the betrayal of the Dementors since the beginning. It was only a matter of time Minerva."

"True, if we hadn't had to deal with the foolery of Cornelius Fudge we wouldn't be dealing with this right now." McGonagall sighed heavily. "Never the less, I must go inform Dumbledore."

Harry could hear the sound of moving feet and dived back towards the table, closely followed by Ron and Hermione. They had only just gotten settled into their seats when the kitchen door swung open, emitting Professor McGonagall, Mrs. Weasley, Attica, and Mundungus whose face lit up upon sighting the breakfast laden table. He shuffled over and began topping a plate with bacon.

"Mornin' Dung." Ron said through a mouthful of toast which he had shoved rather unceremoniously into his mouth when the adults had walked into the kitchen.

"Mornin'" He answered, his voice was just as muffled as Ron's through his bacon. Hermione rolled her eyes at their table manners.

"We were just celebrating the OWL results before you came Mundungus." Mrs. Weasley said, looking disapprovingly at the way Mundungus was shoving bacon in his mouth.

"Owls?" He asked confusedly causing Ron to snort.

"You'd forgotten what they were too." Hermione hissed at Ron.

"Fifth year wizarding exams." Attica answered his question, looking interestedly at the three pieces of parchment on the table.

"Oh yeah. I'd forgotten those." He gave a small laugh, spraying bits of bacon on the table. "Mine prolly weren't worth rememberin'!"

"Indeed." Mrs. Weasley said quietly to herself. Just then Ginny walked into the kitchen, her red hair disheveled and tousled.

"Why was everyone making so much noise?" She asked seating herself next to Harry.

"We were just celebrating everyone's OWL results." Mrs. Weasley said for the second time, turning back to the stove. Ginny leaned over and whispered in Harry's ear.

"What do you think about the dememtors?" Harry looked at her questioningly and she pulled a flesh colored string out her nightshirt pocket. Ginny had heard the whole conversation on an Extendable Ear.

"Well, its not that surprising." Harry whispered back. "We were kind of expecting it weren't we?" She nodded, turning her attention to the toast in front of her.

Even though the betrayal of the dementors wasn't surprising to him, it was still frightening to think that Azkaban was as open as a doorway for anyone inside to just walk out of. What would happen when Voldermort actually ordered the dementorsto start attacking people? Harry shuddered at the thought. He agreed with Mundungus, things were indeed changing.


	7. Diagon Alley

_**Here's chapter seven folks! (I don't own Harry Potter!)**_

The next day they all received their Hogwarts letters and book lists. Mrs. Weasley resolved to take Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny to Diagon Alley so they would be able to see Fred and George before the start of term. Attica decided to accompany them as she had not been to Diagon Alley for several years.

It was a rainy day and as they were walking to the underground station, it made for a slightly miserable trip. After riding the train they walked the ten minutes from the station to the Leaky Cauldron where they were greeted by the toothless inn keeper Tom. Mrs. Weasley told them all to be back for lunch at three before going off to do some shopping of her own with Attica.

"So where do you want to go first?" Harry asked Ron, Hermione, and, Ginny. They had already stopped at Gringotts, the wizarding bank, and Harry was clamoring to spend some money.

"You two haven't seen Fred and George's shop yet have you?" Ron asked indicating Harry and Hermione.

"It's wicked awesome!" Ginny said.

They made their way down Diagon Alley towards a small sandstone shop past the Apothecary. Hanging above the door was a large green sign with "Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes" painted in a light blue. As they entered the shop Harry realized that the innocent green and blue sign couldn't have prepared him for what he had just stepped into. For only a second he thought he had stepped into Zonko's Joke Shop in Hogsmead only to realize that this shop was even strangely more bizarre than Zonko's!

There was no rhyme or reason to the rows upon rows of items and candies that lined the walls. Harry saw things he recognized like Nosebleed Nougats and Canary Creams which had been joined by Puppy Pops and Fishy Filets. There were things he'd never seen before like Rip Snorts, a small red candy that caused you to fall asleep while snoring loud enough to disrupt everything around you.

Harry began walking down an aisle labeled 'Magical Apparel'. Here he found the Headless Hats that had sold so well in the Gryffindor common room the previous school year. Along with the hats were several sets of shining boots all impeccably polished. Upon reading the caption though, he found that the wearer of the boots actually tracked mud everywhere even though the perfectly shined boots didn't look the part. Harry smiled, imagining tracking mud all over the main staircase at Hogwarts and Filch running like mad to find the culprit.

Harry was on the verge of trying on one of the boots when someone grabbed his shoulder. Instinctively his hand was halfway inside his robes, groping for his wand when he heard Fred's voice behind him.

"You like the boots Harry?" He asked, causing him to relax and grin. He turned around to see Fred beaming at him.

"I was just getting ready to try some on." He answered as George walked over.

"Aw yes, the 'Innocent Plodders'" He said with grim satisfaction. "They're wonderful for causing trouble."

"And we know you're all for trouble Harry." Fred said. "Good choice. As a matter of fact if you decide to buy those innocent boots," He said with a wink. "We'll give you the troublemaker's discount, thirty percent off. But you have to promise us that mischief will be done."

"A thirty percent discount if the buyer guarantees trouble?" Hermione asked incredulously. "You'll go out of business if you keep that up!"

"No, Hermione we won't. You see the discount is only offered to people we know will be making trouble. Others, who we know follow the rules," George pointed his finger at her. "Must pay full price." Harry, Ron, Fred, and Ginny all laughed, but Hermione only glared dangerously at Fred like Mrs. Weasley would when she knew they were up to no good.

They all had a wonderful time at the shop experimenting with Fred and George's newest batch a candies and items. When three o' clock came around Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny left for lunch at the Leaky Cauldron accompanied by the twins who had decided to close up shop and have lunch with Mrs. Weasley too.

The six of them were heading up the main stretch of Diagon Alley when Harry heard a familiar drawling voice up ahead. He stopped motioning for the others to follow him. They followed without hesitation concealing themselves behind a large flowering shrub. Harry could just the back of Draco Malfoy's head through the leaves.

"Father said that they found him alone, nearly dead in a ditch somewhere in Wales." He was saying to a man that he didn't recognize. He was tall with long, straggly brown hair that matched his same colored robes.

"Have they restored his memory yet?" The man asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"No he can't remember anything. Some kind of charm must have been placed on him when he fell through. He can't even remember that he's a wizard." Malfoy answered humorously. "He was a disgrace to the purebloods anyway, so it doesn't really matter. One less mudblood lover to worry about."

"Enough of these matters." The man said, his voice a gravelly whisper. "How was your initiation Draco?" At this question Malfoy shivered and looked directly at the bush they were all hiding behind. Harry heard Ginny gasp but knew they hadn't been spotted when Malfoy looked back at the speaker.

"It was satisfying. Now I can finally aid the cause." He said, whispering too. "I've been getting tired of being treated like a child." He said bitterly.

"Well you mustn't do anything rash while at the school, that damned Order has spies running all over the place there. You must keep your head and do only what you're told."

"Yes sir. There's nothing to worry about, everything has already been taken care of. No one will ever see it coming." He said with a malicious grin.

_**There you go folks, that's chapter seven. I'm so sorry it took so long but I'm kinda going through a little crisis here what with school and the whole figuring out of the college stuff, I've not had much time to work on this.**_

_**Never fear though, I do plan on finishing this but there just might be a few times when it'll take me awhile to get a chapter out. Thank you all again for being patient!**_


	8. Recalled to Life

_**Howdy folks! Well chapter seven was a little mysterious wasn't it? (Cue ominous and creepy music) What is it that Malfoy's planning? Sorry guys, I'm afraid I can't tell you that, BUT! You can read on and eventually find out because yes its finally here! The one, the only, chapter 8! Yay!**_

_**Oh and once again thanks to all of you who reviewed even those of you who have threatened me with violence ( cough cough cantburnme cough) ahem, excuse me, sorry about that. Its OK, I can handle violence and possibly death, I've been trained in the martial arts. HYYYAAA!**_

_**Alright, I'm going to stop typing now for those of you who are actually still reading this and haven't moved onto the story yet! Thank you very much for tolerating my insanity. (I do not own Harry Potter). **_

Harry watched the receding backs of Malfoy and the stranger as they headed away in the direction of Knockturn Alley. He could hardly believe what he'd just heard. They had to have been talking about Sirius and from the sounds of it Malfoy had just recently become a Death Eater too. He felt a surge of anger at both Malfoy and the man in brown, if they had been talking about Sirius then there was no doubt that if he was alive,then he was most likely in the hands of the Death Eaters or worse, Voldermort himself.

Someone poked Harry on the shoulder, it was Hermione, she had a worried look on her face, telling him that she too had figured out who Malfoy had been talking about.

"I think we should go back to the Leaky Cauldron now." She said, her voice faint.

"Alright." Harry answered. He was surprised at how calm his voice sounded when his insides were squirming with panic and anger at the thought of Sirius alive and potentially in the hands of the enemy.

They wound their way through Diagon Alley and back to the inn. On the way there, Harry noticed that Fred and George were hanging back from the rest of the group, whispering to themselves. This made him uneasy. Harry worried they might be planning something as they were walking along, and everyone always told him not to do anything rash!

When they reached the inn Mrs. Weasley and Attica were not back yet so the six of them took a seat in the corner of the common room and held a sort of whispered council.

"So." Said Fred. "Did anybody else pick up on who Malfoy was talking about?"

"I've got a pretty good idea." Ron said, his face grim.

"What should we do?" Ginny asked, she looked upset and Harry couldn't blame her he was still in shock too.

"We'll tell Mrs. Weasley and Professor Arias as soon as they get back." Hermione said. "They'll be able to tell the rest of the Order and Professor Dumbledore as well."

Harry's mind was blank at the moment and he was finding it incredibly hard to think straight.

"Well, I think we can establish that Sirius is alive." George whispered to no one in particular. "I mean you all heard it. Malfoy said something about him having no memory after having 'fell through'. Who else could it be?" As he finished Mrs. Weasley and Attica entered the Leaky Cauldron laden down with shopping bags.

"You're already here, wonderful! Oh, hello Fred and George, I didn't you'd be joining us!" Mrs. Weasley said upon seeing them all seated at the corner table. "I was planning on visiting the two of you after lunch anyway…" She trailed off having just noticed the looks on their faces. "What is it? What happened?" She asked worriedly.

"Mum…" Ginny said and Harry saw that she looked rather frightened. "Sirius is alive!" Mrs. Weasley gasped and Attica looked around their table to make sure no one was listening in on the conversation.

"We saw Draco Malfoy outside Florene Fotescue's ice cream parlor." Explained Hermione in a hurried whisper. "He was talking to a man in shabby brown robes. He said that the Death Eaters had found someone in Wales that had no memory. And now they're keeping him prisoner."

"How are sure he was speaking of Sirius?" Attica asked. Harry noticed the strained look on her face and wondered if anyone else knew about her relationship with Sirius. Hermione answered her question instantly.

"Because Professor, he spoke of how he's lost his memory since he 'fell through'. We always assumed Sirius was dead when he _fell_ through the veil. Who could Malfoy have been talking about?" Hermione sounded convincing and Harry knew that everything she said was true.

"Hermione I need you to tell me everything that you heard between Malfoy and the other man." Attica said, her voice tight. Hermione recited the whole conversation from memory and when she finished a grim silence gripped the table. Harry knew that everyone was thinking the same as he was. They had to find a way to get Sirius back.

"Molly," Attica said turning to Mrs. Weasley. "I must go report this to Dumbledore. He might have a solution to the problem." Mrs. Wealsey looked at her quizzically but nodded in agreement.

"I'll send a notice to all the members when we return to Grimmauld Place." Mrs. Weasley said. "Everyone will need to know about this. We're not going to eat here." She said turning to the rest. "We're leaving now, you can eat when we get back. Fred, George are you coming with us?"

"Yeah Mum. We'll hang around awhile, see what we can do to help." George answered with Fred nodding in agreement.

"Good. Attica will you be returning this evening." Mrs. Weasley said turning back to her.

"Yes. I will see you and Arthur tonight." And with that she disapparated with a small pop.

Once back at Grimmauld Place, Mrs. Weasley gave them all their school supplies that she had got while they had been in Fred and George's shop.

Harry took his books up to his room, strange feelings plaguing his mind all the way up the stairs. Yesterday he would have given anything to know for sure that Sirius was still alive, but now, now that he knew…. There was no doubt that he was overjoyed at his Godfather still being alive but a heavy weight settled in his stomach at the thought of Sirius alive but in the hands of the Death Eaters. Even as Harry was sitting in his room, Sirius was possibly being tortured, starved or anything of the sort. He shuddered at the thought. It had been what motivated Harry the previous school to go to the Ministry of Magic, it had been the illusion created by Voldermort of Sirius being tortured. It had been Harry's foolery that had killed him in the first place. But then again, he wasn't really dead. He turned to close the door not wanting anyone to see the silent tears slipping down his cheeks.


	9. Shadows and Fire

_**I've decided that for this chapter I'll be breaking the traditional writing style of J.K. Rowling somewhat... meaning this chapter will not be from Harry's point of view. (please don't get mad at me) I guess it will also be safe to say that you'll see this happening later too, so don't gripe and moan too much! Anywho here's the next chapter, enjoy!**_

Darkness, it was everywhere, it was everything. He had known nothing but darkness for so long, lying unmoving in the shadows that were feasting on his pain and grief. All that he could recall was the torture, the hooded men and their harsh laughter. He lay in his stone cell awaiting the moment when they would return bringing with them more questions that he could not answer and more cruel laughter.

He had no memory other than the pain and darkness. He knew not his name or even how he looked. But his body ached and his eyes would strain to see. Sometimes he could make out shapes in the shadows, dancing and teasing outside his circle of vision. Enticing snatches of memories that could have been his years and years ago, but he knew not.

The sound of metal grating on stone brought him out of his morose thoughts. They were coming. _Again they will take me from this cell and ask me the same questions and again I shall not be able to answer them_ he thought desperately, knowing of the pain they would hold in store for his lack of knowledge. _Maybe today will be the day that they will end it... maybe then I can leave the darkness_. The thought of death was his only comfort anymore. Now he could hear them, their cold voices echoing in his cell, in his very mind.

But before he could give himself up to despair his small cell exploded in a blinding flash of light and an eerie, piping song filled every corner of the room, causing him to swell with a sense of comfort, of safety.

There was a shout outside the cell. Two new voices joined those of the hooded men. The voice of a man and of a woman.

"_Stupefy!"_ They both shouted in unison, and he could hear the thud of bodies hitting the stone floor.

As he was still staring at the door something landed upon his shoulder and he looked up to see a firey orange bird, singing the strange but calming song that echoed in the cell. He smiled, knowing he was safe but hardly daring to believe it as he slumped unconscious to the floor.

_**Yeah I know its really, really, really short. But... its better than no update, eh!**_


	10. Homecomings

_**So yeah I hope no one was confused on the POV change last chapter, mind you I did mention it! Or at least I think I did... (has confused herself). Oh well, whatever right? Anywho heres chapter 10, read, reveiw, but most of all enjoy! (Meeph does not own Harry Potter!)**_

It was very late, and Harry still lay awake in his bed trying to ignore the random snuffling snore coming from Ron's side of the room. His head was buzzing still from his trip to Diagon Alley, but what was bugging him most was the fact that Professor Arias never returned to Grimmauld Place like she'd told Mrs. Weasley she would. Harry had begun to wonder whether or not she had gone to see Professor Dumbledore about the matter of Sirius and the Death Eaters.

As he lay there contemplating this, a loud muffled thump sounded from down the stairs causing Ron's snores to cease. He rolled over to face Harry's bed.

"Wha' was dat?" He said sleepily to Harry.

"I don't know." He squinted through the darkness at the door. Straining his ears for any other sound. "Someone's down there!" He hissed to Ron having just made out the sound of footsteps. "Can you hear it?" He asked Ron while quietly hopping out of his bed.

"Yeah." Ron whispered back, he too was getting out of bed.

They both grabbed their wands and then Harry slowly inched their bedroom door open enough that he could peek out into the stairwell. They could still hear the muffled footsteps but Harry couldn't see anyone at the foot of the stairs.

"They must have moved into the kitchen." He whispered to Ron.

They both quietly snuck from the room, closing the door behind them. Creeping down the stairs they could hear voices coming from the kitchen and the sound of a chair scraping along the floor. They silently moved from the stairs to the door that seperated them from the kitchen and both pressed their ears against it, just making out what the voices were saying.

"Should we revive him?" It was Attica, her voice sounding strained.

"No. Not at the moment." That voice belonged to Professor Dumbledore. "I think it best that he comes out of it on his own. We do not want to shock him."

Ron shot Harry a quizzical look and both strained their ears, not wanting to miss whatever it was Dumbledore and Attica were discussing. At that moment though they both heard a loud creak on the stair. The voices in the kitchen stopped and Harry and Ron whipped around to find Hermione sneaking toward them through the dark.

"What are you two doing? Its three in the morning!" She hissed at them.

"Hermione shut up! We're trying to listen to---" But the kitchen door swung open before Ron could even finish his sentence. They all three turned to face Professor Dumbledore. He didn't look delighted to see them, but he didn't look upset either.

"Ahh, I thought I heard your voice Mr. Weasley. Shouldn't you be in bed at this dredful hour of the morning?" He said this all politely, but Harry had the feeling they were being told off in a kind manner. Despite this, he turned to look past the Headmaster into the cavernous kitchen. He spotted Attica standing near the table, and slumped in a chair on the far end was...

"Sirius!" Harry gasped, trying to force his way past Dumbledore and into the kitchen.

"No Harry!" Dumbledore grasped his shoulders and forcing him away from the doorway. Harry srtuggled against the the firm grip, but to no avail.

"Sirius!" He yelled again as Ron and Hermione watched in alarm from a safe distance.

"Harry! You must understand, this is not the man you used to know!"

Harry stopped struggling and stepped away from the Headmaster, staring at him in horror.

"What do you mean?"

Just then the man in the chair stirred automatically drawing all their attention. He slowly raised his head and stared around at them all.

"Where am I?" He whispered vaguely.

_**OK, there's chapter 10! Hope you were able to enjoy it and please review!**_


	11. Confusion

_**I know its been quite awhile since I updated this fic, I was kinda waiting for HBP to come out and see if there'd be any cool info that I could use from it in this fic. I'm not sure if I'm going to tie my story in with the sixth book, so you can consider it as an alternate story line. If you don't want to read it anymore cause it doesn't follow the story as dictated by Rowling, that's fine by me. You have been warned then, if you're a responsible person and read the author's note then I shouldn't expect any flames on the matter at hand. Well I've also started college, and right now I don't know if I like it or not. Keep in mind though that I'm putting off a paper to work on this right now!**_

_**(I don't own Harry Potter, I can barely afford gas for my car!)**_

"Where am I?" He said, looking around the room at all the people staring at him. There was a blonde haired woman standing next to him and an old men and three teenagers in the doorway on the other side of the room.

The only thing he could remember was the dark cell and the appearance of fiery bird that was nowhere to be seen at the moment.

"Where am I? What's going on?" He said again, his voice cracking. The comfort he had experienced from seeing the bird in the cell seemed to dissipate as the others in the room continued to stare at him, seemingly at a loss for words.

The chair scraped loudly across the floor as he struggled to his feet. He nearly fell over, his exhausted body hardly able keep him standing. His eyes darted around wildly for an escape route, but the only way out of the large room was through the one doorway that was blocked by the old man.

His mind began to work furiously, trying to recall every detail of his rescue from that dark cell and the hooded men. These people could very well have been his saviors, but then again, he had no way of knowing that. For starters they didn't have a great flaming bird with them, or could he have been hallucinating? Beginning to second guess his own memories, while slowly stepping backwards, his back came to rest against the cold stone of the wall behind him.

"Sirius?" The boy with black hair said uncertainly, ducking under the outstretched arm of the old man.

"Sirius?" He whispered to himself, weary mind grinding back into action. A name? His name? He looked around again desperate for a way out.

"Harry don't!" the girl, standing by the door, hissed at the boy coming towards him. The boy called Harry ignored her, slowly making his way across the room, that he had come to see was a kitchen.

"Sirius is that really you?" Harry asked again. The woman with blonde hair reached for Harry's arm.

"Harry leave him be. He doesn't understand." The boy turned to meet her gaze and they shared a look of understanding.

"Sirius." The man whispered to himself again, trying to understand why this name sounded so familiar to him. It was there in his mind, just beyond his comprehensive reach, taunting him to frustration. These people knew something about him that he did not and it was starting to grate on his nerves.

"Is it my name?" he asked the room in general, once again the spotlight seemed to glare on his person.

"Yes," The old man said plainly. "Sirius Black, that is your name, and this your house, we are your friends." At this he left the doorway and made his way across the room, coming to a halt directly in front of Sirius. "You need not fear anything here, we have already delivered you from the hands of the enemy."

Enemy? Sirius thought to himself. Ah! The hooded men and their dark cell. Well if they were the enemy then he would have no problem declaring them to be his own enemies.

"I am Albus Dumbledore, and this," he indicated the woman on his right. "is Attica Arias. We rescued from you from the Death Eaters. There is much to say and do, and I'm afraid that with your memory gone, a lot of what we have to tell you will come as a shock."

So the hooded men called themselves Death Eaters? Anger flared and took the place of his desperation, he wanted revenge for his pain.


	12. Resurfacing

_**The last chapter was quite short, I know, I try I really do, but sometimes I have to do things in small increments. Anywho here's chapter 12 hope you enjoy it!**_

_**I do not own Harry Potter! (slaps the fool that suggested it)**_

It had been a week since Dumbledore and Attica had brought Sirius back to Grimmauld Place and Harry didn't know whether to be happy or upset. Although he had his Godfather back, Sirius could remember nothing of his past despite the number of times he had been told.

The others seemed to take this in stride, a simple obstacle that could eventually be overcome, but Harry could only think of what would happen if Sirius was stuck not knowing who he really was for the rest of his life, always wondering if he used to know that person, or if he'd been to that one particular place. The only thing he could compare it too was the time after he had just been told he was a wizard. He had been scarred of what the future might hold, what with all those people expecting great things from him because he had done something he could hardly remember!

Harry sighed, picking up the dishtowel next to his elbow to start drying the plate he held in his hands. He and Ginny were washing dishes from dinner, having both drawn the duty the night before. Mrs. Weasley had started delegating the tasks of the household chores to the daily residents of Grimmauld Place, mainly being Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny.

He set the dried plate at the top of a nearby stack, so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't even realized that the plate had been the last dish.

"Is that everything?" He said turning to Ginny.

"Yeah." she answered. "I hope Mum feels guilty that she's making us do the dishes the last night before Term."

Harry forced himself to grin, knowing she was only trying to keep the conversation light. He appreciated how well Ginny could always read his mood. Just then Mrs. Weasley bustled into the kitchen a clean table cloth wrapped in her arms.

"Oh are you finished Harry dear?" He nodded. "Do me a favor and tell Ron to start packing, all of his clothes are still lying on the floor." She set the table cloth on the table and left the kitchen.

"I'm done too you know." Ginny mumbled and this time Harry smiled for real, wished her a goodnight and went to find Ron.

He climbed the stairs to his room, pausing for only a second at Attica's door having heard what sounded to be a heated argument between several people. He could distinguish Lupin's voice among them and wondered vaguely when he had shown up but didn't wait around to hear what they were saying. They had all been at their wits end about what to do with Sirius and Harry did his best to stay out of it wanting simply to spend time with Sirius.

He reached his room to find Ron already there picking up a pair of worn jeans off the floor and sitting on Harry's bed talking to Ron was Sirius.

"They told me that I was an Ani- Animagus?" He asked uncertainly.

"Yeah." Ron said grinning. "You can turn into a great black dog. Its pretty cool." Sirius looked nonplussed at the news as if the idea of turning into a creature of another species was hardly thrilling to him. Ron looked up to see Harry standing in the doorway. "Hey Harry, dishes done or was Mum merciful for once and let you off?"

"No, Ginny and I did them." He responded automatically. "Your Mum told me to tell you that you need to have all your stuff off the floor and packed up tonight." Ron snorted.

"Right, like that's going to happen, look at this room!" Sirius gave a bark like laugh at Ron's exclamation making Harry smile. That was one thing about Sirius that had stayed the same; his laugh.

"Well I'm off to bed." Sirius said standing up making his way to the door. "Goodnight." He said, clapping a hand on Harry's shoulder on his way out.

"Night." He answered dully.

When the door was shut Ron looked over at Harry while haphazardly stuffing school robes into his trunk.

"You know he really is trying hard to remember." Ron said matter-of-factly.

"I know."

"I'm just saying, cause you seem to get mad at him or something. He can't help it Harry."

"I know." He said again. "Dumbledore was right though, he isn't the man we used to know. Even if he does get his memory back, he probably won't ever be the same." Harry flopped onto his bed dejectedly, ignoring Ron who seemed at a loss for words.

* * *

_The bolt of red energy slammed forcefully into his chest, taking him off guard and causing him to lose his footing. His eyes widened in surprise, when he realized he was going to fall. He looked frantically around for his attacker in the split second he had left and his gaze locked with excited eyes of his hated cousin Bellatrix. Growling in frustration and pain he twisted around and felt the soft touch of velvet against his cheek before darkness wrapped tightly around him._

He sat up quickly in bed, entangled in his sheets and drenched in sweat. His breathing came hard and fast as if he had been running from something. Eyes open fully he glanced wildly around for Bellatrix's laughing face. Then it hit like lightening.

"Bellatrix?" He whispered to himself, straining to remember every detail of the dream. It had been so real and vivid, like it had actually happened.

"But it did happen." He said out loud in a hoarse whisper, knowing it was true and for the first time since he had woke up in that dark cell, Sirius Black remembered a part of his past.


End file.
